St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-11-02
The POLITICAL WORLD.
Mayor Hewitt, Of New York, Writes a
Long Letter
TO THE LOCAL DE MOCRACY
Which Is Rather Interesting Reading
Gov. Gordon's Speech at
Cleveland.
Special to the Globe.

S. Hewitt was wanted to attend a meet
ing Of the Democratic club held to-
night for the purpose of ratifying the
Democratic county nominations. In re-
ply he sent a letter in which he says:
For reasons which think will be regarded
as satisfactory by my fellow citizens, l have
decided not to take part in the political meet
ings which will be held between now and
the time of the election, but there is no rea-
son why, as citizen / should not express
my opinions in reference to the candidates
and the principles at issue. The present
campaign has developed an old issue in a
new and aggravated form. After the presi-
dental election of 1876 this community be-
came tired of what was denominated boss
rule. 1t determined to put all end to per-
sonal politics. l took an active part in the
movement and was punished by a refusal on
the part of the Democratic machine to re-
nominate me for congress-. My opinions ex-
pressed in 1880 have recently been repro
duced by the press and / now reaffirm them
as carefully prepared protest against the
evils which follow the
DESPoTIc AND SECRET EXEECIsE
of power by political bosses. do not know
of the existence of such bosses in this city at
this time. If they exist. it seems to me that
the mayor in his appointing powers would
have come across them. They have not ma
terialized in the mayors office and no de-
mands have been made upon me in their be-
half. But have encountered another and
new kind of boss, who has given me great
deal OF unsought advice and large amount OF
unnecessary bulldoZing. / refer to the news
paper boss. Sitting in his editorial sanctum
like brOoding Buddha, he does not hesitate
to claim omniscience and to endow himself
with omnipotence. The political boss was
responsible only to his party. The newSpa-
rer boss is responsible to his own pocket. He
is as dangerous as he is despotic. He must
be suppressed. Otherwise parties, upon the
healthful existence of which free govern.
ment depends, will be destroyed and
the voters will be compelled to choose
between newspaper tickets instead Of party
nominations. 1t is alleged, however, that
the Democratic candidates were not selected
by the representatives of the party according
to the free choice, which l have always advo-
Gated. The charge is not true. The specific
accusation is that the united Democracy
rejected the candidacy of Delaney NicollS at
the dictation Of Maurice j. Power, aided and
abetted by various persons, among whom L
have been named. There IS no foundation
whatever for this statement. That Mr.. Mic
oils is not the Democratic candidate is due to
his own declarations. In September last he
told me of his own accord that he
DID NOT DESIRE THE NOMINATION
for district attorney. and preferred to resume
his private practice of the law. But for this
statement should have done what could i'll
proper way to secure his nomination, be-
cause Col Fellows, who by long experience
and unequaled ability ought to have had the
call ON the nomination, had also given me TO
understand that he would retire from the po-
stion he now fills at the close of the year.
In this state of affairs the next assistant, Mr..
Fitzgerald, was the natural nominee, and
all the leaders of the organization
to which he belonged seemed to
concur in the propriety OF his nomination.
This conclusion was not the work of any one
man, but was the consensus of all the men
whose opinions would have weight with the
public. In the condition of affairs the nomi-
nation of Mr.. Nicol was demanded by GER
Xo... i'll IL tI1N
organs of the Democratic party or are dis
tinctly opposed to its principles. Mr..
Nicolls, at first reluctant, finally succumbed
to the gross admiration with which his ad-
vocacy was accompanied. This injudicious
course made his candidacy unacceptable to
self-respecting men and Col. Fellows was So
Hcited to accept a nomination which he
neither expected nor desired. The Repub-
dorse Democratic candidate were prompt
enough to seize the opportunity to foment
discOrd in the ranks of their opponents by
the open nomination of two Democrats, thus
making the humiliating confession that they
have no men in their own party who have
the courage and ability to effect reform, pro-
mote justice and punish crime. The deduc-
ton from these facts is clear that the Nicoll
movement is in its inception,
A NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING DODGE,
and in its conclusion, disgraceful stratagem
of the Republican managers to demoralize
the Democratic party in the hope that the
confusion thus produced will determine the
presidential contest of 1888 in favor of the
politicians who were driven from power in
1884 by the election of Grover Cleveland.
The scheme is ingenious. but it is based on
the mistaken idea that the people are all
fools. AS to the personal attacks on
Col. Fellows they are simply diSgraceful.
The more reputable advocates of Mr.. Nicoll
see this mistake, and such men as Choate,
Root and Anderson have generally borne
testimony to his professional integrity and
peculiar qualifications for the Office of dis
trict attorney.
After praising Col. Fellows private
character, the mayor continues:
have stated the local issue, but there is
larger and broader view to be taken. Since
the close of the war the Democratic party
have made an heroic struggle to reduce taxa
ton and reform the national administration.
They are now i'll power, but all efforts to
lessen the burdens of taxation have been
thwartedby the Republican party. There is
now
A VAST FUND
accumulated in the treasury, for the control
of which corrupt men hunger and thirst.
The only safety lies in the stern integrity of
the Democratic administration. A defeat
now in this city and state will open the gates
of the treasury to the jobbers and to schemes
foreign to the purposes of our government
and to the best interests of the peo-
pie Let them be warned against
side issues, and let them keep ever in mind
that there is no safety except by the continu-
ance in power of the Democratic administra-
ton, which has proved its fitness by rigid
economy, by stern enforcement of the law
and by the prompt punishment OF crime. AS
now constituted there is no room in the
Democratic party for corruption and fraud
COW COpnnN